Archive for March, 2010
When I’m on vacation, I don’t count calories. And you can’t in Hawaii, because the local treats never tend to be good for you.
I’ve really lost my sweet tooth in the last 5 years. I’ve had a few root canals and to be honest, it cured me of my love of sugary things…. But today I’m going to introduce you to one of my favorite donuts.. It’s technically a malasada and of Portuguese origin. You can find them at Leonard’s Bakery, which is a mandatory stop every time I’m in Honolulu. The donuts are served up warm with all the loose bits of sugar that cling to your fingers. I’ve been a bit of a purist, not welcoming any kind of filling in my malasada, but this year Brent convinced me the custard filling is worth a try. The day we went to Leonard’s, Brent was also home from Boston and I think even he will admit, distance makes the heart grow fonder…
There are also monthly flavors, so you’re looking at the passion fruit filling. I wish it had a little less inside, so the gooey filling didn’t overpower the donut. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still delicious. My advice, buy at least two while you’re there.
What’s the best donut you’ve ever eaten? I’d love to know where we can find your favorites!
Tags: d50, hawaii, leonard's, malasadas
Posted in Travel, food |
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I can’t believe it’s the last weekend in March, I really hope we are done with snow! This weekend’s main event was trying a few Thai recipes. Laab is one of D’s favorites and we made it with chicken, but we both also like it with beef. It wasn’t spicy enough, but we can never figure out heat levels! We used serrano chiles, but I guess not enough. 
I also ‘tried’ to make a pomelo salad, but I couldn’t find this elusive fruit and I used a pink grapefruit instead. Unfortunately, it didn’t hold up well. This salad also had fried shallots and garlic, toasted coconut, scallions, cilantro, peanuts and a dressing of fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Next time I get my hands on a pomelo, I’ll be sure to take a photo of the finished product. 
Tags: d50, in the kitchen, thai
Posted in food |
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I’ve already got one eye on the weekend. There’s a lot more to come from our trip to Hawaii and I may just jump back in the time machine and blog about Key West before Katherine & Nathan’s trip in early April.
Tags: d50, weekend
Posted in Personal |
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Last Friday night we broke out of the usual routine and drove over to Huntington, CT to keep it tropical and catch some surf rock. The North Shore Troubadours were playing at Huntington Street Café and we met up with friends and the always welcoming Peter Vouras, who owns this fine neighborhood spot along with his wife Salem. Besides live music & comedy, the café has free wifi and is a great spot for
• a cup of joe (you may remember this was the former home of Rhapsody in Brew)
• lunch/lite dinner (check out their cleverly named sandwiches and the famous steamed cheeseburger)
• evening with friends (wine/beer and desserts are calling your name)
Tags: Connecticut, g10, huntington, huntington street café, shelton
Posted in Connecticut |
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The first time we stayed on the Kohala Coast of Hawaii I remember waking up up at 5 am with major jetlag and thinking, “I hear gobbling. Is that a turkey?” It turns out that yes, turkeys are living at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, even on the golf course where they’ll ocassionally stick their head into your cart to see if you have anything good for lunch! This trip we stayed in a different section of the hotel and there was a resident tom turkey who came onto the lawn every night at sunset. I’ve never seen a turkey up-close, though they seem to have made a resurgence in Connecticut in the past 10 years. This free-range fellow was clearly used to the camera and came quite close to me while I took photos from our hammock. 
I’ve always heard turkeys aren’t the brightest birds, but just take a look at where this guy comes to spend sunset every day and tell me what you think.
Tags: d50, hawaii, mauna kea beach hotel, turkey
Posted in Travel |
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I’m still sorting through Hawaii photos, but wanted to serve up some tropical refreshments while you wait. In general, D thinks it’s way too girly if there are any orchids in his drink… but you can’t get too bent out of shape at happy hour while you watch the sun sink into the Pacific Ocean. Below, the first drink is from the Halekulani’s House Without a Key. Unfortunately, I can’t remember ingredients, but it looks so inviting I had to include it.
The next two are also from the Halekulani:
Left > Not on the menu, but recommended by our server… I believe it’s called a Hale Tai and you probably don’t want to drink too many of these or you won’t make it til sundown.
Right > This was a guava/gin cocktail.
Last but not least, the Frederico (affectionately called the Freddie) at Mauna Kea Beach Resort. This frosty concoction features light rum, Jack Daniels, orange, guava, passion fruit and pineapple juice blended with crushed ice. Believe it or not, the whiskey helps cut back on all that sweetness from the fruit juice. It looks quite innocent, but if you manage to saddle up to this beach bar, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Tags: cocktails, d50, halekulani, hawaii, mauna kea beach hotel
Posted in Travel, food |
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101 cookbooks has done it again. I couldn’t resist the Coconut Red Lentil Soup and it’s one of the tastiest recipes I’ve made in a while. If you like the flavors of curry power and coconut milk, give it a try. It’s worth seeking out the golden raisins, they become plump, sweet little surprises in each bite. I prefer the soup thicker, more like a stew and Heidi recommends serving over farro or brown rice. See the recipe >>
Tags: 101 cookbooks, coconut lentil soup
Posted in food |
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After giving southwestern Connecticut quite a thrashing of wind and rain last weekend, mother nature has relented and offered a few sparkling days, with sunny skies and warmer temps. This is causing spring fever and has gotten me thinking about the summer ahead. It’s no secret, I’ve got a thing for eating good food… outdoors. This not without peril as I found out on my wedding day, but I still can’t resist the allure every summer. We’ve been to a few Connecticut-based Dinners at the Farm, but for years I’ve been waiting for Outstanding in the Field to come to town. This year, they are FINALLY headed to Wilton’s Millstone Farm, with guest chef Michael Nischan of Wesport’s Dressing Room.
These celebrations of food and farmer take place all summer-long across the US, so visit the newly re-designed Outstanding in the Field website to find dinner near you. If this type of meal is right up your alley – don’t delay – many of these dinners sell out. Tickets go on sale Saturday, March 27, 2010. ,
Photo from our first Dinner at the Farm event. This magical evening ended under a full August moon. White Gate Farm in Old Lyme, CT (2008)
Tags: Connecticut, d50, farm dinner, outstanding in the field
Posted in Connecticut, food |
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It’s been nearly a week and I can’t quite seem to shake off that Hawaiian jet lag. I’m sure daylight savings didn’t help matters either. As much as I love the thrill of visiting new destinations, I also really enjoy when friends recount their travel experiences. There’s no luggage to pack or vacation days required! I can barely contain my excitement in welcoming a new feature to this blog: The Armchair Travel Guides! We’ll follow along with regular folks as they graciously share their vacation photos and memories. Sit back and enjoy the ride. We’ll travel the globe… and your co-workers won’t even miss you while you’re gone!
Now without further ado, introducing our first armchair travel guides: Katherine and Nathan. The Uschmann’s live in New York City and last Thanksgiving they skipped the turkey and took a 4-day trip to Iceland (only three days on the ground). They both cited a long-time interest in this remote, beautiful country… home to Vikings, Bjork and lots of history and culture. They needed a doable trip for a long weekend, plus it didn’t hurt that airfares to Reykjavik had dropped to a reasonable price. Since Katherine and Nathan each brought a separate camera, I split this Iceland adventure into two posts.
If you’re armchair travel guide material, you’re always thinking about your next trip. Last month, Katherine and Nathan attended the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver! As an added treat, you can view photos from the Pairs Figure Skating Short Program on Nathan’s Flickr photostream.
Tags: armchair travel, iceland
Posted in Travel |
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The day after the tsunami watch we had yellow flag conditions and it was calm enough to go out. In case you’re wondering, the paddle board is about 11′ feet long and wider than a traditional surfboard. The dimensions help stabilize things, but all the same, I’ll wait to learn until there are absolutely flat water conditions!! D got a 15 minute crash course along with his rental and it seemed to be all he needed to get started.
I stayed on terra firma with my camera. D later confided it took a lot of core strength to maintain his balance and he was beat even before his 30 minute rental was up! The Swiss-born instructor said he would tired that night and boy, he was right! 
I apologize for the dreadful photos, he went out in the midday sun. I do love this one photo from around sunset, the light on the resting boards is just lovely.
When you’re pro at paddle boarding it looks *SO* easy. So easy, even a dog can do it!